Cowboys’ Head Coach Speaks Out After Micah Parsons’ Controversial Preseason Behavior

Drama always seems to surround the Dallas Cowboys, and that is once again true ahead of the 2025 campaign. Superstar linebacker Micah Parsons wants a new contract that he has not gotten, resulting in him holding in during training camp, while also requesting a trade. Things reached a boiling point during the team’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons, leading to some stern comments from head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

When arriving for the game, Parsons made a phone gesture with his hand when someone suggested he force his way to the Falcons. And in the third quarter of the game, Parsons was seen lying down on a trainer’s table, taking a nap. With questions about Parsons’ future in Dallas swirling, Schottenheimer recently addressed the situation.

Brian Schottenheimer Clears the Air on Micah Parsons’ Status

In his first season as a head coach, Schottenheimer has found himself in a rather unenviable position. He’s trying to play middleman between Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on their contract dispute, but that’s a lot easier said than done. After all, just look at the scene Parsons caused on Friday night.

Looking at Parsons’ situation, though, it’s not hard to see where his frustration is coming from. As he prepares to enter the final year of his rookie contract, Parsons has solidified himself as one of the most dominant players in the league in just four years. During that time, he’s been selected to four Pro Bowls, earned a spot on the All-Pro First Team twice, and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2021.

And yet, Jones has refused to give him what he’s wanted, which is either a new contract or a trade to a team that will hand him the sort of deal he’s looking for. With negotiations at a standstill, Parsons is trying to take matters into his own hands, but it has created more problems for Schottenheimer. When asked what the next steps are for Parsons, Schottenheimer revealed that he’s going to talk to him and figure out what is going on.

“Without talking to Micah, I need to figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it,” Schottenheimer said when asked about Parsons’ controversial actions. “So, until I talk to him, I’m obviously not going to talk about it.”

What Should Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys Do with Micah Parsons?

Schottenheimer finds himself in a lose-lose spot when it comes to Parsons’ contract situation. On one hand, he obviously wants to have his best defensive player on the field come Week 1. But he can’t exactly go into Jones’ office and demand he fix the situation, because that’s not how Jones operates. So right now, all Schottenheimer can really do is wait and focus on working with the guys who are on the field.

Without Parsons, the Cowboys’ defense would be significantly worse off, especially when it comes to rushing the passer. All eyes have been on Jones to see if he would return to the negotiating table to keep his star player happy, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen. Schottenheimer will try to smooth things over with Parsons, but the team’s hopes that he will be on the field come Week 1 are fading quickly.